Why are 'admin' people so bad? I assume you're including heads of department in with that category? That makes me an admin in the UK and I frankly couldn't give a flying fig about salaries for people I employ. Two reasons for that - one is I have no say in them anyway and the second is I'd be more concerned with getting the right person rather than saving what is in the grand scheme of things a small amount of money. You do sound a bit like a discount Arthur Scargill with your admin comments at times.

I think you missed my point. It's nothing to do with socialists at all. It's the opening line from a poem about cowardice re: speaking up for those you believe have been done wrong by. Google it then pretend you knew about it already.

In my opinion they have been let down by the judicial system there. My opinion - based on what I have read about the evidence. Of course that's not the full evidence but it's enough to form a preliminary judgment, in my own mind anyway. You, having seen the same evidence, have disagreed. That's fine but merely repeating your point about they have been tried by a court of law ad nauseam isn't going to change my opinion, or probably many others' either.

Incidentally, do you have a pathological need to have the last word in any argument or discussion?

First they came for the Socialists...

That's probably why.

That's not necessarily the case. For example, I know of plenty of sports staff who come in from NZ, SA etc to coach sports like rugby, hockey etc where the UK talent pool is less in depth and also teach PE (both academic and 'games') or indeed other subjects. No teaching qualification at all yet they land jobs teaching.

Why would the school bother? Probably because a teaching qualification is no guarantee of effective teaching. I have one but I'd argue that the vast majority of what I do I picked up on the job. Most of what I 'learned' during my PGCE I discarded after one or two years. One of the best teachers I know has no formal qualification in teaching yet he is excellent.

As for your final point that there are plenty of locally trained teachers with a qualification who could do the job. So anyone from overseas with a credential would, based on your logic, not have a hope in hell. Which is patently not true.

Your posts remind me of something I should have remembered when it comes to online forums: don't feed the troll. You are clearly a troll as your comments on the Bantlemann case show. I'm not going to waste time debating with someone who clearly has no inclination to change their opinion. In fact, I wonder if there is a single documented case of you changing your opinion on this forum? I'd hazard a guess that you very, very rarely admit you're wrong.

Psyguy:
Speaking only for UK private schools and free schools, you are wrong. A teaching licence/qualification/whatever is not necessary in order to teach in those schools. It might make it more difficult to get a job but not by much. I can see getting a working visa being tricky without a teaching qualification but probably not impossible. Certainly I know at least two teachers in my current UK boarding school who are not qualified as teachers, not working towards qualification and who are either a head of department or a housemaster and both have full teaching loads.

You have made a blanket statement about needing a teaching licence to teach and this does not apply in all schools worldwide.

Waits for inevitable reply insisting the sky is green....

Top school, if I'd not already been offered a really good post in the region I'd have snapped their hands off when they offered me an interview.

Colleagues of mine used to work there. Have very good things to say about it. As of four or five years ago they contribute to your EPF which is really useful. They only did two years but they have mentioned in the past they sometimes regret leaving.

More than likely if you're planning on doing any travel in the region. I'm moving there this summer and I had typhoid, rabies and an MMR booster. I'd already had hep b and Japanese encephalitis jabs as well for previous SE Asia travels. If you google 'nhs fit for travel' you should find good info. You definitely don't need all the ones I had but I'm planning on doing a lot of travelling, jungle trekking etc so I just had everything possible to ensure I'm covered. If you're living in UK go see your local go nurse and they'll sort you right out. If not, you can't take medical advice off a forum (even mine!) - you'll need to see a professional. All I can do is share my experience.

I've got friends living/working at a school there. Package is good and they're having a great time. They have a young family though - not so sure if it would be right for a singleton like myself!

Ok. Seemed like you didn't know what it was when you responded with a lot of irrelevant guff about commissions and management fees. Also I'm averaging 4% interest on my UK bank accounts (in response to your point about cash investments only yielding 1-2%). All easy access as well. But that's besides the point.

My main point is that you just need to get the right school regardless of region. Good school = good salary and therefore chance to save effectively. I suppose the difference between Asia and WE is that, generally, you have to have a bit more discipline in Asia because pension schemes are few and far between (EPF excepted). Then again, cost of living is obviously lower so your expenses will be lower, disposable income higher and therefore potentially there's the chance to save more.

Do you know what the EPF is?

Also it is a defined benefit. I've just converted it to a cash amount for ease of understanding and to save myself from sharing my gross pay.

No assumptions beyond looking at the average interest rate applied to the EPF over the last 60 years or so. Easily googled and if you look at the rates you'll see I'm right. I think that's a fair assumption and 10000 per year would be nowhere near all the money, nor would the savings I'd funnel back to the UK. I've costed it pretty thoroughly and it works along with giving me plenty to spend on holidays etc.

Depending on where you are in Asia surely you could retire out of there too. I'm starting in Malaysia in August and, based on paying in £10000 a year to the EPF fund and assuming the long term average interest of the fund being 6%, I'll be walking away with a lump sum of close to £800,000 before I turn 60. Notwithstanding the rest of my salary which is enough to save additional cash and funnel it back into the UK, probably meaning I'll be able to invest in 2 or 3 properties I can rent out for additional income. That's without adjusting the amount I can pay into the EPF for inflation and pay rises as well.

Admittedly the position I've been offered is probably towards the higher end of the salary/package spectrum but it's not silly money.

In response to the OP I imagine, like most things, it depends on the level of school you get into, your lifestyle and what your spending habits are. WE isn't for me, I prefer the food, weather and travel options in Asia so I'm heading East. For others it'll be the total opposite. But 90% of the task is getting a gig in a quality school - the rest takes care of itself.

I'm starting work there in August. Looking forward to it! A couple who used to work at my current school are there now and they seem to be really enjoying it. Pm me and I can send you more info (well, repeat what I've had passed on to me anyway!). Have you been offered a place there or just thinking about it?